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DI Ivan Winterman #1
Winterman
The War is Behind Him. But his battle has only just begun...
DI Ivan Winterman is a man with a troubled past. The Blitz has left his young son dead and his wife seriously injured. He has made enemies in high places and, with his career going nowhere, he returns to his home town in East Anglia, seeking to rebuild his life in a country gripped by post-war austerity and the coldest winter on record.
As the first snow begins to fall, a drunken ex-clergyman stumbles on the semi-mummified body of a small child concealed in a ruined cottage. Days later, a second similar child's body is found in a Fenland dyke. Both bodies have been dead for several years, preserved in the Fens, the cause of death unknown.
Winterman, supported by a small team of assorted misfits, finds himself leading the investigation, uncovering a web of connections and secrets in the small rural community. When a further murder victim is discovered, Winterman discovers that the secrets are darker and the threat far more immediate than he'd ever envisaged.
And, as the snow finally begins to thaw over the Fens, Winterman realises that his worst nightmares are about to come true…
Alex Walters is the best selling and critically-acclaimed author of the DI Alec McKay series, Winterman is a tense and gripping serial killer thriller which will appeal to fans of authors like Stuart Macbride, Damien Boyd and Mark Edwards.436 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 26, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
March 15, 2019
This intriguing mystery offers up a new perspective on the genre for this author. I’m a big fan of his DI Alec McKay books which are contemporary police procedurals. But here, he switches things up & delivers a story reminiscent of classic golden age mysteries.
It’s 1947 & all across England, people are struggling to rebuild their lives. The war may be over but things like food, fuel & jobs are still scarce. DI Ivan Winterman was not a soldier. Instead he fought his battles on the home front. One of these left him persona non grata among colleagues in London & as the book opens, he’s been banished to a small police post in rural East Anglia.
It’s not exactly a promotion to the big time. As the 2 local cops who have been holding down the fort fill him in, he realizes the most dangerous criminal he’ll run into will probably be a shoplifter. Well…you just know that’s going to change or we wouldn’t have a story.
Body #1 is barely recognizable as a little girl. Years of being buried in peat on the fens has preserved the bones but not much else. Same with body #2. Then a local man is murdered in his back yard. And he won’t be the last. So much for a quiet life in the sticks.
The first thing you need to know is this is not a flashy thriller. It’s a quiet, atmospheric police procedural that is richly evocative of another time & place. You get drawn into the lives of people who are dealing with the fallout of WWll. Like most insular communities, everyone knows everyone & their business. Or thought they did. As Winterman’s investigation progresses, the area is cut off by snow storms & the resulting isolation lends a claustrophobic feel which is hugely effective. Because of this, the story begins to read like a classic closed room murder mystery.
The author does a great job of providing a slow drip of clues. It’s an intricate puzzle & as pieces from the past & present fall into place, a horrible truth emerges. It’s not just a case of finding a killer, it’s about unmasking those who have been hiding in plain sight. Tension rises as the coppers begin to realize what they’re dealing with & the pace picks up considerably as they battle weather conditions to solve the case. It will also prove cathartic for Winterman on a personal level as he begins to let go of the past & see the chance for a brighter future.
It’s a smart, historical read that will especially appeal to fans of Agatha Christie or Anthony Horowitz’ “Magpie Murders”.
It’s 1947 & all across England, people are struggling to rebuild their lives. The war may be over but things like food, fuel & jobs are still scarce. DI Ivan Winterman was not a soldier. Instead he fought his battles on the home front. One of these left him persona non grata among colleagues in London & as the book opens, he’s been banished to a small police post in rural East Anglia.
It’s not exactly a promotion to the big time. As the 2 local cops who have been holding down the fort fill him in, he realizes the most dangerous criminal he’ll run into will probably be a shoplifter. Well…you just know that’s going to change or we wouldn’t have a story.
Body #1 is barely recognizable as a little girl. Years of being buried in peat on the fens has preserved the bones but not much else. Same with body #2. Then a local man is murdered in his back yard. And he won’t be the last. So much for a quiet life in the sticks.
The first thing you need to know is this is not a flashy thriller. It’s a quiet, atmospheric police procedural that is richly evocative of another time & place. You get drawn into the lives of people who are dealing with the fallout of WWll. Like most insular communities, everyone knows everyone & their business. Or thought they did. As Winterman’s investigation progresses, the area is cut off by snow storms & the resulting isolation lends a claustrophobic feel which is hugely effective. Because of this, the story begins to read like a classic closed room murder mystery.
The author does a great job of providing a slow drip of clues. It’s an intricate puzzle & as pieces from the past & present fall into place, a horrible truth emerges. It’s not just a case of finding a killer, it’s about unmasking those who have been hiding in plain sight. Tension rises as the coppers begin to realize what they’re dealing with & the pace picks up considerably as they battle weather conditions to solve the case. It will also prove cathartic for Winterman on a personal level as he begins to let go of the past & see the chance for a brighter future.
It’s a smart, historical read that will especially appeal to fans of Agatha Christie or Anthony Horowitz’ “Magpie Murders”.
February 25, 2019
Winterman, the first novel in a proposed new series featuring DI Ivan Winterman, is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Oh yes, now that's what I'm talking about. There is plenty included in this beautifully crafted thriller to keep even the most seasoned crime reader entertained and, just as importantly, guessing. This made a very long, lonely night of insomnia pass ever so quickly, and once I'd started there was no chance I was going to be able to sleep without finishing it, even if I could've. One of the aspects I loved the most was the time period, setting and backdrop - 1947, East Anglia, when the country is trying to get back on its feet after the end of the Second World War - all which brought an atmosphere of unease to proceedings adding to the suspense.
This is a serial killer thriller that takes place in one of the coldest, harshest winters on record making the investigation into the recently discovered mummified remains of three children a struggle for all involved, and there are some breathtaking descriptions of the savage weather encompassing the area's residents. The characterisation is well executed leading you to really care for the characters, but, of course, Ivan is the star of the show; I thought he was an adept and tenacious investigator, and I sure hope it becomes a series so we can see more of him. The author is apparently waiting to determine the reception the book receives in order to decide whether it is worth turning this into a series. I am definitely not ready to say goodbye to Ivan yet.
Don't you just love those books that are a breeze to read with plenty of thrills and twisty surprises? This writer should be on EVERY crime fiction fans radar. Period.
Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC.
This is a serial killer thriller that takes place in one of the coldest, harshest winters on record making the investigation into the recently discovered mummified remains of three children a struggle for all involved, and there are some breathtaking descriptions of the savage weather encompassing the area's residents. The characterisation is well executed leading you to really care for the characters, but, of course, Ivan is the star of the show; I thought he was an adept and tenacious investigator, and I sure hope it becomes a series so we can see more of him. The author is apparently waiting to determine the reception the book receives in order to decide whether it is worth turning this into a series. I am definitely not ready to say goodbye to Ivan yet.
Don't you just love those books that are a breeze to read with plenty of thrills and twisty surprises? This writer should be on EVERY crime fiction fans radar. Period.
Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC.
May 27, 2019
Excellent, a very pleasant surprise,as this author´s new to me.Great characters, very good writing and a nicely done plot.
February 26, 2019
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bloodhound Books for an advance copy of Winterman, a police procedural set in the Fenland in 1947.
DI Ivan Winterman is not happy to be sent to the backwaters, seeing it as a punishment for rocking the boat at headquarters. His backwater is, however, not so quiet when the mummified body of a young girl is found in the ruins of a cottage. When more corpses turn up and someone is murdered Winterman and his small team find themselves struggling to cope.
I thoroughly enjoyed Winterman which is a very complete read with a bit of everything. It is a relatively long novel with quite a slow pace investigatively speaking but it covers a lot of ground building inexorably to a revelation studded, if inconclusive, ending. There are some tense moments, several action scenes, a romance for Winterman and plenty of characters whose actions demand suspicion which all lead me to the description of complete. I love the way Mr Walters builds his novel, fact by fact, blending the past with the present while leaving the reader baffled until the reveals. I found the ending very interesting in that there is a certain amount of justice but few arrests. For a reader it may seem a bit messy but given the historical setting and the circumstances it seems very realistic to me and might actually be my favourite part of the whole novel.
I think the historical detail is mostly accurate, but, even if it isn’t, it paints a very convincing picture of the bleak postwar years where comfort was an aspiration rather than a reality for most people. Throw in the coldest winter on record and you get a constabulary not only struggling for resources but to get to the crime scenes to investigate. There is little joy in the novel.
The characterisation in the novel is excellent but only to be expected as the author has given himself the space to be expansive. Winterman is the archetypal detective, smart, dedicated, resistant to direct orders he doesn’t agree with, a touch idealistic about catching wrongdoers and with an interesting backstory. The motivations of all the other characters come under scrutiny at some point in the novel so the reader never feels on sure ground and it provides plenty of food for thought.
Winterman is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
DI Ivan Winterman is not happy to be sent to the backwaters, seeing it as a punishment for rocking the boat at headquarters. His backwater is, however, not so quiet when the mummified body of a young girl is found in the ruins of a cottage. When more corpses turn up and someone is murdered Winterman and his small team find themselves struggling to cope.
I thoroughly enjoyed Winterman which is a very complete read with a bit of everything. It is a relatively long novel with quite a slow pace investigatively speaking but it covers a lot of ground building inexorably to a revelation studded, if inconclusive, ending. There are some tense moments, several action scenes, a romance for Winterman and plenty of characters whose actions demand suspicion which all lead me to the description of complete. I love the way Mr Walters builds his novel, fact by fact, blending the past with the present while leaving the reader baffled until the reveals. I found the ending very interesting in that there is a certain amount of justice but few arrests. For a reader it may seem a bit messy but given the historical setting and the circumstances it seems very realistic to me and might actually be my favourite part of the whole novel.
I think the historical detail is mostly accurate, but, even if it isn’t, it paints a very convincing picture of the bleak postwar years where comfort was an aspiration rather than a reality for most people. Throw in the coldest winter on record and you get a constabulary not only struggling for resources but to get to the crime scenes to investigate. There is little joy in the novel.
The characterisation in the novel is excellent but only to be expected as the author has given himself the space to be expansive. Winterman is the archetypal detective, smart, dedicated, resistant to direct orders he doesn’t agree with, a touch idealistic about catching wrongdoers and with an interesting backstory. The motivations of all the other characters come under scrutiny at some point in the novel so the reader never feels on sure ground and it provides plenty of food for thought.
Winterman is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
February 28, 2019
Winterman by Alex Walters
Did I enjoy this book? Definitely! I mean, who stays up till 3am reading to find out what happens in a murder mystery if they are NOT enjoying it? Maybe enjoy is not the correct term, though. I was so thoroughly engrossed in what was happening that I couldn’t stop reading...even though I was tired enough to think about going to bed...I just couldn’t.
This book takes place soon after WWII ends and is set in England. D.I. Ivan Winterman is sent to the back of beyond to a small police department to be in charge. The place he has been sent to once was home and the house he lives in became his after his mother died. As soon as he arrives in town young girls exhumed from the fens start showing up about town and questions arise as to who they are and how they got there. Those older female bodies are soon joined by some freshly murdered male bodies that provide just as many if not more questions. And, that is not the end of the murders that will take place in this novel.
Okay, there are murders but there are also interesting characters to meet, a budding romance, nightmares, cover ups, backstories, threads to unravel, mysteries to solve, evil to unveil and oh so much more. This book was so well plotted and precisely crafted that I, who often read the end of books before I read the middle, still was surprised more than once and often unsure who to and not to trust.
Did I enjoy this book? Without a doubt
Do I hope this book is the beginning of a new series? Definitely
Will I read more books by this author? Of course!
I really want to find out what will happen next in Ivan’s life!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Did I enjoy this book? Definitely! I mean, who stays up till 3am reading to find out what happens in a murder mystery if they are NOT enjoying it? Maybe enjoy is not the correct term, though. I was so thoroughly engrossed in what was happening that I couldn’t stop reading...even though I was tired enough to think about going to bed...I just couldn’t.
This book takes place soon after WWII ends and is set in England. D.I. Ivan Winterman is sent to the back of beyond to a small police department to be in charge. The place he has been sent to once was home and the house he lives in became his after his mother died. As soon as he arrives in town young girls exhumed from the fens start showing up about town and questions arise as to who they are and how they got there. Those older female bodies are soon joined by some freshly murdered male bodies that provide just as many if not more questions. And, that is not the end of the murders that will take place in this novel.
Okay, there are murders but there are also interesting characters to meet, a budding romance, nightmares, cover ups, backstories, threads to unravel, mysteries to solve, evil to unveil and oh so much more. This book was so well plotted and precisely crafted that I, who often read the end of books before I read the middle, still was surprised more than once and often unsure who to and not to trust.
Did I enjoy this book? Without a doubt
Do I hope this book is the beginning of a new series? Definitely
Will I read more books by this author? Of course!
I really want to find out what will happen next in Ivan’s life!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
February 28, 2019
The shadow of war is still looming over Britain, people are trying to get their lives together and grieve for their dead. When ex clergyman Reverend Fisher stumbles across the mummified body of a small child, long buried secrets emerge with deadly consequences...
So I’ve read a couple of Alex Walters police procedurals now, so I was intrigued when I read the blurb and found out that this one while still a police procedural, it’s set back in the 1940’s.
Winterman is an interesting character. He tried to do the right thing but ended getting sent to a small police station to keep him out of trouble. He’s tortured by dreams of his son who died and is not sure who in the police force he can trust.
I also liked Mary, she’s such a strong character. She works for the police part time to trying to support her mother and twins after her husband died in a training accident during the war.
In school I wasn’t really taught a lot about post World War Two Britain, about how rationing was still going on, food was scarce, the country was practically bankrupt...how imagine we’re going to be after Brexit. Alex Walters really manages to convey what it must have felt like at the time, while people were free of the oppression of war, they were still scarred from it.
My only issue was the pace at times was little slow and the use of the Americanism slacks instead of trousers got on my nerves a bit but of course that’s just my opinion.
Overall Winterman is an engaging and interesting historical mystery which conveys the sense of time and place that you can really lose yourself in.
So I’ve read a couple of Alex Walters police procedurals now, so I was intrigued when I read the blurb and found out that this one while still a police procedural, it’s set back in the 1940’s.
Winterman is an interesting character. He tried to do the right thing but ended getting sent to a small police station to keep him out of trouble. He’s tortured by dreams of his son who died and is not sure who in the police force he can trust.
I also liked Mary, she’s such a strong character. She works for the police part time to trying to support her mother and twins after her husband died in a training accident during the war.
In school I wasn’t really taught a lot about post World War Two Britain, about how rationing was still going on, food was scarce, the country was practically bankrupt...how imagine we’re going to be after Brexit. Alex Walters really manages to convey what it must have felt like at the time, while people were free of the oppression of war, they were still scarred from it.
My only issue was the pace at times was little slow and the use of the Americanism slacks instead of trousers got on my nerves a bit but of course that’s just my opinion.
Overall Winterman is an engaging and interesting historical mystery which conveys the sense of time and place that you can really lose yourself in.
December 12, 2019
Two things attracted me about this book: the post-war setting and that it mainly takes place in winter (don't know why, but I love winter stories!). Also, I was intrigued by the fact that the bodies which turned up are dead for several years - this promised a very interesting and unusual investigation! But it didn't stay all cold case, as soon after some fresh bodies followed suit - piling almost as fast as the heavy snow falling in Framley. Newly assigned DI Winterman is in up to his shins, both with the case and the snow, which effectively slows down his effort to sort things out.
The characters were introduced thoroughly, each with his own past and problems, making it easy to instantly relate to them as real people of flesh and blood. The plot was well constructed, but maybe too much so. I guess that's my only main objection with the book: I felt my mind wandering off a couple of times when the story slowed down too much, though I never had the feeling I missed anything afterwards. The ending seemed delayed, as I already knew what was coming, but had to plow through some more IMHO unnecessary events to get there, and the maybe intended surprise rather felt like an already awaited but late finish line.
Overall, I very much enjoyed reading this original story and getting to know the introduced characters. The book works very well as an advertising pilot for a new series, with still room for more.
(Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
The characters were introduced thoroughly, each with his own past and problems, making it easy to instantly relate to them as real people of flesh and blood. The plot was well constructed, but maybe too much so. I guess that's my only main objection with the book: I felt my mind wandering off a couple of times when the story slowed down too much, though I never had the feeling I missed anything afterwards. The ending seemed delayed, as I already knew what was coming, but had to plow through some more IMHO unnecessary events to get there, and the maybe intended surprise rather felt like an already awaited but late finish line.
Overall, I very much enjoyed reading this original story and getting to know the introduced characters. The book works very well as an advertising pilot for a new series, with still room for more.
(Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
March 17, 2019
There were a number of things I liked about this story but overall I had some reservations. I liked the period of time in which the story was set. It began in 1940, the long hot summer prior to the ending of the Phoney War but was mostly set in 1947. This was a catastrophic year in terms of weather, first with very heavy snow and then with very bad flooding. This was used effectively in the story and became an integral part of the book. I liked the way the post war hardships, rationing and shortages were also used in the storytelling. D I Winterman was also interesting. Whilst he was a strong, intelligent personality he had some vulnerability which made him appealing. I liked the Fenland setting which has been used by a number of authors as it has an atmosphere that lends itself to a mystery story. There was also some interesting information about experiments conducted at Porton Down before and during the war which made you think.
Unfortunately though I found some aspects of the writing irritating. Repetitive use of ‘pardon my French’ got on my nerves! The storytelling at times was rather laborious and although there were many positives about this book I think ultimately the style of writing led to the onset of boredom! I felt overall that the murder and mayhem was over the top. If there is a sequel I’m not sure I’ll bother.
Unfortunately though I found some aspects of the writing irritating. Repetitive use of ‘pardon my French’ got on my nerves! The storytelling at times was rather laborious and although there were many positives about this book I think ultimately the style of writing led to the onset of boredom! I felt overall that the murder and mayhem was over the top. If there is a sequel I’m not sure I’ll bother.
March 2, 2019
Winterman by Alex Walters is a dark, dark crime novel, set in the depths of winter just after the Second World War which has devastated Britain and Europe. There is plenty of atmosphere in this book; I could feel the bite that winter had on the residents of the village where the book is set, and there was a really sinister tone that kept me gripped. I think I was looking at about every single one of the characters as I tried to work out who was behind the crimes that had taken place, and there are some disturbing ones.
There’s a really chilling opening scene in which we see rising panic ensue after a young boy disappears just before a blackout. Several years later and DI Ivan Winterman arrives in the town and it isn’t long after his arrival that a child’s mummified body is found. And it isn’t the only body to be discovered. This is a town where crimes very rarely happen, and Winterman knows he has a tough case on his hands as he attempts to piece back evidence that goes back over the years.
I thought that the author conveyed a real sense of place and time in this book. We can see the effects that the war has had on the local community and on the wider country with rationing still in force. Rationing carried on in this country for years after the war, as Great Britain rebuilt itself.
DI Ivan Winterman was a character who I really engaged with. It was fascinating to see how the other members of the police team took to him, and how they worked together, as he has just taken on one of the top jobs in policing. I was wondering if this was going to cause a few issues as no one from the team was promoted to the role. I don’t think I would be too happy if an outsider came in and took the top job.
The structure of the novel was cleverly thought out, and it did have some heartbreaking reveals towards the end which I don’t think I’ll be forgetting about for a while. And there was a heart-pounding conclusion. The ending did give me chills as I wondered if such things did actually occur during the period that the book is set, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if such goings on did actually happen.
The whole plot just kept me gripped. I wanted to find out who the children were who had been uncovered, and especially, as reports came about that children had started to disappear from the area a few years ago. Of course in the time period the book is set, policing was a lot harder than it is today, as they didn’t have the advances in science we have today available to them. It seemed to me that there was something much more going on here, which was hiding in the shadows and I feared that this wasn’t going to be over for the residents of the town any time soon.
If you’re a fan of historical crime fiction then definitely give this book a go. It’s a real page-turner that will chill you and keep you utterly gripped.
There’s a really chilling opening scene in which we see rising panic ensue after a young boy disappears just before a blackout. Several years later and DI Ivan Winterman arrives in the town and it isn’t long after his arrival that a child’s mummified body is found. And it isn’t the only body to be discovered. This is a town where crimes very rarely happen, and Winterman knows he has a tough case on his hands as he attempts to piece back evidence that goes back over the years.
I thought that the author conveyed a real sense of place and time in this book. We can see the effects that the war has had on the local community and on the wider country with rationing still in force. Rationing carried on in this country for years after the war, as Great Britain rebuilt itself.
DI Ivan Winterman was a character who I really engaged with. It was fascinating to see how the other members of the police team took to him, and how they worked together, as he has just taken on one of the top jobs in policing. I was wondering if this was going to cause a few issues as no one from the team was promoted to the role. I don’t think I would be too happy if an outsider came in and took the top job.
The structure of the novel was cleverly thought out, and it did have some heartbreaking reveals towards the end which I don’t think I’ll be forgetting about for a while. And there was a heart-pounding conclusion. The ending did give me chills as I wondered if such things did actually occur during the period that the book is set, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if such goings on did actually happen.
The whole plot just kept me gripped. I wanted to find out who the children were who had been uncovered, and especially, as reports came about that children had started to disappear from the area a few years ago. Of course in the time period the book is set, policing was a lot harder than it is today, as they didn’t have the advances in science we have today available to them. It seemed to me that there was something much more going on here, which was hiding in the shadows and I feared that this wasn’t going to be over for the residents of the town any time soon.
If you’re a fan of historical crime fiction then definitely give this book a go. It’s a real page-turner that will chill you and keep you utterly gripped.
March 17, 2019
A very well written tale. DI Winterman has been broken, personally and professionally, and ends up in a remote police station amongst the Fens in 1947. At the headquarters he finds that he has a staff of two DCs and two administrative assistants. As nothing much happens around there, this seems to be sufficient but not for long. A body of a child about 10 years old, dead for five years or more, is discovered in a village and it is clear that somebody has dug up the corpse. Then another and then a fresh murder and then ….
Obviously this small contingent of police detectives, along with the local PC, are insufficient to handle such a large inquiry but the area is heavily snowed in and outside help is slow in coming in even though that does not seem to be a sufficient reason. It also means that the number of suspects is very limited.
The suspense is gripping but I am unable to give it 5* because the denouement is by happenstance, too prolonged and unconvincing. Also, the characters seem in terms of their attitudes towards homophobia and sexuality to belong to a much later era.
However, I really want to praise Alex Walters who has been able, with a very light touch, to vividly present the personalities of the characters living in the post second world war Britain with its after effects, scarcities and disappointments.
He has already written a number of books and I plan on reading them immediately. I am surprised that he is not better known and I recommend that you should try him out, particularly his DI Alec McKay series.
June 7, 2025
I didn’t think i would enjoy this book with it being set just after the war, however it was a good read and quite different
February 26, 2019
The story is set in 1940’s Britain, after the war had ended but food, fuel shortages and rationing are still part of everyday life.
The small village of Framley is covered by snow, when a drunken ex-clergyman comes across the body of a child...left for someone to find...
DI Waterman is posted to the small local Police Station and along with his colleagues, Horton, Marsh and the ever eager PC Brain they begin the investigation, only for more bodies to be found and even murder.
The deep snow hampers them considerably but they carry on in this twisty thriller, with murder, blackmail and secrets. Alex Walter’s wonderfully descriptive and moody writing brings chills that having nothing to do with the weather.....written in the vein of classic Josephine Tey, there are marvellous characters and I have to say the indomitable Mrs Sherringham is a favourite...
I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns and the ingenious reveal....I never saw it coming. I hope to read more of DI Winterman and Mary.
Thank you to Bloodhound Books (and Netgalley)for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
The small village of Framley is covered by snow, when a drunken ex-clergyman comes across the body of a child...left for someone to find...
DI Waterman is posted to the small local Police Station and along with his colleagues, Horton, Marsh and the ever eager PC Brain they begin the investigation, only for more bodies to be found and even murder.
The deep snow hampers them considerably but they carry on in this twisty thriller, with murder, blackmail and secrets. Alex Walter’s wonderfully descriptive and moody writing brings chills that having nothing to do with the weather.....written in the vein of classic Josephine Tey, there are marvellous characters and I have to say the indomitable Mrs Sherringham is a favourite...
I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns and the ingenious reveal....I never saw it coming. I hope to read more of DI Winterman and Mary.
Thank you to Bloodhound Books (and Netgalley)for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
March 31, 2019
Winterman is a historical British police procedural, taking place in the farms and fen country just out of Ely, shortly after the end of WWII with flashbacks to 1940. We have stalwart protagonists with hearts in the right place and high morals, and we have beaten down bad guys. We have children, present and past, used as pawns and women who lost much in the war but managed to make their way through. And we have a police presence working without sufficient personnel and funds, with private and public systems rotting from the inside out. It is late winter 1947 and food is still scarce and rationed, clothing, vehicles, rubbers, gasoline, too. Life.
DI Winterman is wounded in heart and soul and brushed off to the hinterlands to keep him quiet and out of sight. He finds himself replacing a DI who has been gone for over two years in a tiny shop comprised of DC Hoxton with eight years on the force, and DC Marsh with only one year's experience. Mrs. Sheringham is the stalwart ruler of the shop, and she is assisted by a part-time clerk, widowed Mary Griffiths Ford. They have been issued a stout bicycle and an older Wolseley and Mrs. Sheringham might have a fine typewriter but nothing else is available to assist in their policing duties. The general consensus is that the office will eventually be incorporated with that of a larger community so there is no feeling of security by any of the crew. The weather does not help. Day after day, week after week it snows. Oh, and they have a body. That of a nine, maybe a ten-year-old girl, partially preserved in the fen, a body dead 5 or 10 years that turns up in an old abandoned house and is discovered by the retired Reverend Joseph Fisher whom local gossip fashions into a very bad guy and a drunk who was responsible for the death of his wife and young daughter back during the war.
And then the bodies begin to pile up. DC Marsh goes missing. Eventually, help arrives under the direction of Detective Superintendent Spooner of the Cambridge Constabulary. PC Bryan Brain is the only police presence in the current hot spot, Framley, and the weather has him isolated. Then Winterman and crew are snowed-in in Framley. And the death toll continues to mount...
Winterman is an excellent novel, one that keeps you guessing, and rooting for the good guys. But just who are the good guys?
I received a free electronic copy of this novel on February 25, 2019, from Netgalley, Alex Walters, and Bloodhound Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
pub date Feb 26, 2019
rec Feb 25, 2019
Bloodhound Books
Reviewed on Goodreads, Netgalley, Amazon, B&N on March 31, 2019
DI Winterman is wounded in heart and soul and brushed off to the hinterlands to keep him quiet and out of sight. He finds himself replacing a DI who has been gone for over two years in a tiny shop comprised of DC Hoxton with eight years on the force, and DC Marsh with only one year's experience. Mrs. Sheringham is the stalwart ruler of the shop, and she is assisted by a part-time clerk, widowed Mary Griffiths Ford. They have been issued a stout bicycle and an older Wolseley and Mrs. Sheringham might have a fine typewriter but nothing else is available to assist in their policing duties. The general consensus is that the office will eventually be incorporated with that of a larger community so there is no feeling of security by any of the crew. The weather does not help. Day after day, week after week it snows. Oh, and they have a body. That of a nine, maybe a ten-year-old girl, partially preserved in the fen, a body dead 5 or 10 years that turns up in an old abandoned house and is discovered by the retired Reverend Joseph Fisher whom local gossip fashions into a very bad guy and a drunk who was responsible for the death of his wife and young daughter back during the war.
And then the bodies begin to pile up. DC Marsh goes missing. Eventually, help arrives under the direction of Detective Superintendent Spooner of the Cambridge Constabulary. PC Bryan Brain is the only police presence in the current hot spot, Framley, and the weather has him isolated. Then Winterman and crew are snowed-in in Framley. And the death toll continues to mount...
Winterman is an excellent novel, one that keeps you guessing, and rooting for the good guys. But just who are the good guys?
I received a free electronic copy of this novel on February 25, 2019, from Netgalley, Alex Walters, and Bloodhound Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
pub date Feb 26, 2019
rec Feb 25, 2019
Bloodhound Books
Reviewed on Goodreads, Netgalley, Amazon, B&N on March 31, 2019
November 6, 2022
Este é um livro que não faz parte de uma série, não é passado na Escócia e passa-se no pós-segunda guerra mundial.
O estilo mantém-se, bem como a competência.
O estilo mantém-se, bem como a competência.
March 4, 2019
5 stars
DI Ivan Winterman returns home to his recently deceased mother's house in East Anglia. It is fortutious that he has been transferred here – to the back of beyond as it were. He is alone in the world for his wife was badly injured and his son killed during the Blitz. He meets his office manager Mrs. Sheringham and his two young DC's Hoxton and Marsh. Hoxton is open, friendly and talkative while Marsh is more quiet and has a tendency to be a deep thinker.
A report of a child's body comes in. The three respond, driving in a blinding snowstorm. Dr. Pyke also responds. The child is perhaps nine or ten and the little girl has been dead for some years. There was an earlier report of another little girl's body found not far away.
Another body is found. This time it is the body of a man named Fisher. He is a “retired” reverened who had seriously taken to drink. He was the one who found the first body in a cabin on his way home from the pub one night.Then another body of a child. It has obviously been moved from wherever it was originally left as were the other children.
Before long, bodies are dropping all over the place, both old and new. Winterman tries to get help from headquarters, but the story is an old one, “We'll see what we can do,” which is no help at all. Eventurally, Winterman and his team get some help from headquarters. Things begin to happen very fast.
The disappearance of a constable, more murders and attempted murders, an exciting car chase and a flood later, the story comes to its conclusion.
This is an extremely well written and plotted novel. The story follows the painstaking police investigation during the blizzard of 1947 which was the coldest in Britain in recorded history. The reader learns a great deal about DI Ivan Winterman (but not smuch that it detracted frim the story), and the privations the English had to suffer in the post-war years. There was a shortage of coal, so not everyone had sufficient heat, food was still being rationed so getting adequate nutrition was difficult, people were still on the move, houses were abandoned and so on. I liked Winterman and the other main characters in the book. Ivan is an interesting man and I am anxious to find out more about what makes him tick. I want to know more about PC Bryan Brain and Winterman and Mary's relationship. Oh, I do so hope there is a sequel.
I want to thank NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for forwarding to me a copy of this remarkable book for me to read, enjoy and review.
DI Ivan Winterman returns home to his recently deceased mother's house in East Anglia. It is fortutious that he has been transferred here – to the back of beyond as it were. He is alone in the world for his wife was badly injured and his son killed during the Blitz. He meets his office manager Mrs. Sheringham and his two young DC's Hoxton and Marsh. Hoxton is open, friendly and talkative while Marsh is more quiet and has a tendency to be a deep thinker.
A report of a child's body comes in. The three respond, driving in a blinding snowstorm. Dr. Pyke also responds. The child is perhaps nine or ten and the little girl has been dead for some years. There was an earlier report of another little girl's body found not far away.
Another body is found. This time it is the body of a man named Fisher. He is a “retired” reverened who had seriously taken to drink. He was the one who found the first body in a cabin on his way home from the pub one night.Then another body of a child. It has obviously been moved from wherever it was originally left as were the other children.
Before long, bodies are dropping all over the place, both old and new. Winterman tries to get help from headquarters, but the story is an old one, “We'll see what we can do,” which is no help at all. Eventurally, Winterman and his team get some help from headquarters. Things begin to happen very fast.
The disappearance of a constable, more murders and attempted murders, an exciting car chase and a flood later, the story comes to its conclusion.
This is an extremely well written and plotted novel. The story follows the painstaking police investigation during the blizzard of 1947 which was the coldest in Britain in recorded history. The reader learns a great deal about DI Ivan Winterman (but not smuch that it detracted frim the story), and the privations the English had to suffer in the post-war years. There was a shortage of coal, so not everyone had sufficient heat, food was still being rationed so getting adequate nutrition was difficult, people were still on the move, houses were abandoned and so on. I liked Winterman and the other main characters in the book. Ivan is an interesting man and I am anxious to find out more about what makes him tick. I want to know more about PC Bryan Brain and Winterman and Mary's relationship. Oh, I do so hope there is a sequel.
I want to thank NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for forwarding to me a copy of this remarkable book for me to read, enjoy and review.
April 9, 2019
4.5 Stars rounded up to 5 Stars. Historical Detective Fiction set in Post WWII northern England where it snows like your in the North Pole and then rains and floods like Southeast Asia. The book is so very well written that I actually felt for DI Winterman and his crew as they battled the elements as well as solve both cold case and current murders. Bodies just keep popping up all over this area. Hope we will hear more of DI Winterman from Mr. Walters in the future.
March 4, 2019
Although I've never read anything by Alex Walters before, I enjoyed Winterman, the first in a proposed new series.
The opening sequence, set in 1940, establishes a bit of the backstory. The novel then moves to the period shortly after the war.
In 1947, having offended some of his superiors, DI Ivan Winterman is sent to the Fen District in East Anglia. In postwar Britain, there is a shortage of everything: manpower, food, fuel for transportation, coal for heating.
Effectively exiled , Winterman finds himself in an understaffed police station in a small village. The area has previously been known for mostly small time offenses, and Winterman expects little involvement with serious crime.
Shortly before Winterman's arrival, however, the body of a child, dead for years and preserved by burial in the Fens, is discovered. There is no record of a child having gone missing in any of the neighboring villages and the body is unidentified. The situation is curious, but does not seem urgent...
Until the body of a second child in similar condition shows up. As a blizzard sets in, bringing the coldest winter conditions on record, the body of a third child appears. Someone has unearthed the bodies and displayed them.
If the bodies of the three children were not enough in this remote area in the midst of a blizzard, two grown men are murdered and a constable disappears. In short order, Winterman finds himself dealing with a truly freakish situation--three old murders, two recent murders, a shortage of backup, weather that is further isolating, characters who may or may not be trustworthy, and secrets that someone wants exposed. Who were the children and why is there no record of them anywhere?
The setting is visual and cold! The isolation of the villages and the austerity of postwar Britain make the weather conditions a crucial part of the narrative.
NetGalley/Bloodhound Books
Crime/Mystery/Historical. Feb. 26, 2019. Print length: 470 pages.
The opening sequence, set in 1940, establishes a bit of the backstory. The novel then moves to the period shortly after the war.
In 1947, having offended some of his superiors, DI Ivan Winterman is sent to the Fen District in East Anglia. In postwar Britain, there is a shortage of everything: manpower, food, fuel for transportation, coal for heating.
Effectively exiled , Winterman finds himself in an understaffed police station in a small village. The area has previously been known for mostly small time offenses, and Winterman expects little involvement with serious crime.
Shortly before Winterman's arrival, however, the body of a child, dead for years and preserved by burial in the Fens, is discovered. There is no record of a child having gone missing in any of the neighboring villages and the body is unidentified. The situation is curious, but does not seem urgent...
Until the body of a second child in similar condition shows up. As a blizzard sets in, bringing the coldest winter conditions on record, the body of a third child appears. Someone has unearthed the bodies and displayed them.
If the bodies of the three children were not enough in this remote area in the midst of a blizzard, two grown men are murdered and a constable disappears. In short order, Winterman finds himself dealing with a truly freakish situation--three old murders, two recent murders, a shortage of backup, weather that is further isolating, characters who may or may not be trustworthy, and secrets that someone wants exposed. Who were the children and why is there no record of them anywhere?
The setting is visual and cold! The isolation of the villages and the austerity of postwar Britain make the weather conditions a crucial part of the narrative.
NetGalley/Bloodhound Books
Crime/Mystery/Historical. Feb. 26, 2019. Print length: 470 pages.
February 28, 2019
A new book by another favourite author – Winterman by Alex Walters. Have you seen my earlier reviews of his books – Candles and Roses and Their Final Act?
Well, this time we are in the Fens district in East Anglia, England. Set in the period immediately following the end of the Second World War when food and fuel are still restricted by rationing. Enter DI Ivan Winterman straight from the Met who finds himself back in his hometown and in the small local police station manned by his colleagues DC Hoxton, DC Marsh, PC Brain and the indomitable Mrs Sherringham and her part-time assistant Mary.
Almost immediately the body of a young girl is found and very soon two others are discovered and then two murders are committed. What’s happening in this quiet little backwater?
It’s in the middle of the coldest winter on record and the deep snow hampers the team’s efforts as they try to unravel/discover the motives for all these deaths.
There are twists and turns aplenty in this book. The blurb attracted me immediately and I felt compelled to keep reading once started.
The characters are well drawn and believable The author’s writing skills are descriptive and moody and I felt drawn back to post war Britain where I grew up amid the chaos and the questions as to how we got there – didn’t we win the war?
The ending was totally unexpected and disturbing. I recommend this book to all lovers of thrillers. I give it five stars and thank Bloodhound Books for the chance to read the advance copy and to review this book.
Well, this time we are in the Fens district in East Anglia, England. Set in the period immediately following the end of the Second World War when food and fuel are still restricted by rationing. Enter DI Ivan Winterman straight from the Met who finds himself back in his hometown and in the small local police station manned by his colleagues DC Hoxton, DC Marsh, PC Brain and the indomitable Mrs Sherringham and her part-time assistant Mary.
Almost immediately the body of a young girl is found and very soon two others are discovered and then two murders are committed. What’s happening in this quiet little backwater?
It’s in the middle of the coldest winter on record and the deep snow hampers the team’s efforts as they try to unravel/discover the motives for all these deaths.
There are twists and turns aplenty in this book. The blurb attracted me immediately and I felt compelled to keep reading once started.
The characters are well drawn and believable The author’s writing skills are descriptive and moody and I felt drawn back to post war Britain where I grew up amid the chaos and the questions as to how we got there – didn’t we win the war?
The ending was totally unexpected and disturbing. I recommend this book to all lovers of thrillers. I give it five stars and thank Bloodhound Books for the chance to read the advance copy and to review this book.
April 4, 2019
There's a lot of snow in this thriller set in the cold winter of 1947 although I doubt many readers will remember it. Our London detective is transferred to deepest Norfolk, in the snow, and finds himself amidst murders, in the snow. Two murders occur back to back, in the snow, and then some semi mummified bodies of children turn up, you've guessed it, in the snow. There is an inordinate amount of description of the blasted snow and the even more blasting east winds across the Fens. The writing is good though and you certainly feel those chill winds and really wonder why everyone is going out in them to murder folk. The characters are well defined,the policing steady and resolute for those days and the descriptions of life in post war but still heavily rationed days is all too true. I'm not convinced about a few of the chapters, fortunately short, where there is a person, we know not who in most cases, pondering over his life; don't know who and never find out who or why in most cases. We have the mummified children but are left not knowing much if anything about them - possibly due to lack of records kept for evacuees or loss of said records in bombings or post war "tidying up". Probably realistic but frustrating. There's a bit of romance for our policemen and I suppose that that will continue in the next book. He's a "good sort of chap" and the reader roots for him - in the snow. He's pleasantly tolerant of homosexuals which I feel is odd for the times and the place - 1940s rural Norfolk. Sorry. Still, a good read and kept me out of mischief, even in the snow!!
April 9, 2019
Winterman starts out well enough. The writing is quite good, the characters interesting, and the background of the post-war years given in bits of detail rather than a broad brush. It lends a melancholy air to the story, though here and there, the characters respond with subtle humour to lighten it up a bit.
The author doesn't give anything away - he builds the characters and the plot slowly, so that connections are suddenly revealed. Although we see the story from multiple points of view (which is a bit confusing at first - each chapter in the early part comes from a different character, and it takes a moment to figure out that we're seeing the story from another perspective), none of our narrators are omniscient - not even the DI himself. Characters turn out to be not quite what they seem to be, on first meeting, and the author doesn't leave glaring clues everywhere that would alert us.
All of this sets up the denouement quite nicely - we've finally earned the revelatory moment when all becomes clear. Unfortunately, not all becomes clear, and that's what dropped the book a star in my rating. We have yet unanswered questions, and I got the feeling that the author did not quite know how to wrap it up. The book plods through the last 30% or so. The crime proves more complicated than it appears, but it's almost as if the additional information is rushed - we should have had some development earlier in the book, as we end up seeing it all secondhand. Several threads are left dangling at the end, always a frustration for mystery readers.
The author doesn't give anything away - he builds the characters and the plot slowly, so that connections are suddenly revealed. Although we see the story from multiple points of view (which is a bit confusing at first - each chapter in the early part comes from a different character, and it takes a moment to figure out that we're seeing the story from another perspective), none of our narrators are omniscient - not even the DI himself. Characters turn out to be not quite what they seem to be, on first meeting, and the author doesn't leave glaring clues everywhere that would alert us.
All of this sets up the denouement quite nicely - we've finally earned the revelatory moment when all becomes clear. Unfortunately, not all becomes clear, and that's what dropped the book a star in my rating. We have yet unanswered questions, and I got the feeling that the author did not quite know how to wrap it up. The book plods through the last 30% or so. The crime proves more complicated than it appears, but it's almost as if the additional information is rushed - we should have had some development earlier in the book, as we end up seeing it all secondhand. Several threads are left dangling at the end, always a frustration for mystery readers.
November 26, 2019
This book was a change from the normal crime drama, in as much as it was set just after WW2 and in a small village in the Fenlands. The whole thing took place in some dreadful weather, first continuous snow and then heavy rain and floods across the whole area. In some ways the detective, DI Ivan Winterman, was aptly named. The whole book was extremely well written, painting a complete picture of the dreariness of the place and the times it was set in – post-war rationing and lack of funds and resources needed to run a murder investigation. That coupled with the weather caused Winterman and his small team plenty of problems, and then things got even worse as more bodies were discovered and manpower decreased.
This was a great read – extremely haunting - and I found myself complete involved in the plot, reading late into the night and finding it very hard to put down. I loved the way the characters were developed, becoming real people that were totally relatable. I was taken back to a time in the 1940’s when everything was so different and so simple. When trust was given without thought to the consequences. The ending was fast paced and took us on a rollercoaster ride with plenty of surprises and twists that I didn’t see coming.
By the finish of this novel I found myself wanting to know more about Winterman and would like to think that it may be the first of a series as I would certainly be keen to read more.
This was a great read – extremely haunting - and I found myself complete involved in the plot, reading late into the night and finding it very hard to put down. I loved the way the characters were developed, becoming real people that were totally relatable. I was taken back to a time in the 1940’s when everything was so different and so simple. When trust was given without thought to the consequences. The ending was fast paced and took us on a rollercoaster ride with plenty of surprises and twists that I didn’t see coming.
By the finish of this novel I found myself wanting to know more about Winterman and would like to think that it may be the first of a series as I would certainly be keen to read more.
February 23, 2019
This is such an absorbing read. DI Ivan Winterman has returned to his home town in East Anglia still mourning the loss of his young son in the Blitz. Set in the winter of 1947 against the backdrop of a country suffering from post-second world war austerity and the coldest winter on record Winterman is investigating the discovery of the mummified remains of one, two and then three small children. It isn’t clear where these bodies have been or why they have now appeared in various locations in the town. When further contemporary murders are committed, Winterman, hamstrung by the deep snow and freezing weather, is desperate to uncover the motives for all the deaths.
Deftly written with a real eye for detail and a sympathetic background, especially the cold and ice, I couldn’t put this book down. I really liked the character of Winterman and felt genuine concern for him and his loss. The narrative is taut and very engaging. All the characters were well drawn and I really did feel I was back in post-war Britain. The ending is clever and very disturbing. I seriously recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Alex.
Deftly written with a real eye for detail and a sympathetic background, especially the cold and ice, I couldn’t put this book down. I really liked the character of Winterman and felt genuine concern for him and his loss. The narrative is taut and very engaging. All the characters were well drawn and I really did feel I was back in post-war Britain. The ending is clever and very disturbing. I seriously recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Alex.
April 4, 2019
I suspect like many people I’m a sucker for anything with Winter in the title. In this case it’s the main character’s name, Winterman, but the book is also set in the winter, in just post-war England. Very well written: it draws you in readily and pulls you along into a setting where people, including the main character, are not quite all they seem and unfold one leaf at a time along with the plot. The whole thing seems to reach a climax about three-quarters of the way through but you need to give it a little patience and work your way past that – there is more to come!
August 18, 2023
I have submitted this review after listening to the audiobook of this title. (Audible Membership)
He thought his new posting was to get him out from under his father in law's feet, as he had become an embarrassment and needed to vanish.
However, the area he had been sent had its own problems, and he was never very good at turning a blind eye or giving up until all the facts were uncovered.
Perhaps he was in the right place after all!
He thought his new posting was to get him out from under his father in law's feet, as he had become an embarrassment and needed to vanish.
However, the area he had been sent had its own problems, and he was never very good at turning a blind eye or giving up until all the facts were uncovered.
Perhaps he was in the right place after all!
May 16, 2024
Audiobook
I enjoyed this book, a bit different to the other books I have read/ listened to by the author, on a police officer who appears to have been transferred to a renote post after upsetting the hierarchy of the previous station he worked at. What this new position does is, it delicately works for the era just after the war, an illegitimate affair as his wife is ill, corruption and political bias affecting how he can work, but the ending came as a big shock.
I enjoyed this book, a bit different to the other books I have read/ listened to by the author, on a police officer who appears to have been transferred to a renote post after upsetting the hierarchy of the previous station he worked at. What this new position does is, it delicately works for the era just after the war, an illegitimate affair as his wife is ill, corruption and political bias affecting how he can work, but the ending came as a big shock.
June 24, 2019
Enjoyable book. Set in cambridge shire just after the 2nd world war. Britain is still in the throes of rationing and DI Winterman is sent to the back n beyond to investigate the strange discovery of mummified children's bodies. Many twists and turns mean you are drawn into a world of corruption. How high does it go.
March 9, 2022
I listened to this and at first I had a hard time getting used to the reader. Once I got into it I liked his narration. This is the first book I’ve read by this author so it looks like I have a bit of catching up to do. Lots of bodies in this story set in the 40s right after the end of WWII. The weather was a big element and added to the atmosphere.
January 22, 2024
A stand alone novel by Alex Walters. Set during the winter of 1947. DI Winterman is haunted by his past and returns to his childhood home on the death of his father. Investigating the strange appearance of the bodies of dead children he has to relive his own nightmares.
An enjoyable read, especially during these cold and wintry nights.
An enjoyable read, especially during these cold and wintry nights.
January 30, 2024
I appreciated the well described ambience of the 1940s but felt the syntax fell into the usual author's trap i.e. quite a lot of clichés with predictable turn of phrase and a bit pedestrian in narrative and dialogue.
An interesting storyline and a rather nice hero.
Some illinformed pronunciation by the narrator.
An interesting storyline and a rather nice hero.
Some illinformed pronunciation by the narrator.
May 20, 2024
Second (audio)book I listen from the author. I liked the title and decided to listen to it, so didn't know anything about it.
It was a pleasant surprise that it was set after WW2 as it gave a glimpse of post-war Britain. The story itself is good and engaging for the most part, but I felt like the end was rushed and that was a bit of a let down.
All in all this is a good book though
It was a pleasant surprise that it was set after WW2 as it gave a glimpse of post-war Britain. The story itself is good and engaging for the most part, but I felt like the end was rushed and that was a bit of a let down.
All in all this is a good book though
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